Space Grant Weather Service Porcupine

Office of University Relations
SDSM& T News
501 E. St. Joseph Street • Rapid City, SD 57701- 3995
Phone: ( 605) 394- 6082/ 2554 • Fax: ( 605) 394- 6177
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
( August 24, 1998)
PORCUPINE TEACHER RECEIVES WEATHER STATION TRAINING FROM SOUTH DAKOTA SPACE GRANT CONSORTIUM AT SDSM& T
Gayle Ludens a teacher at Rockyford Elementary School in Porcupine, recently received weather station training from the South Dakota Space Grant Consortium on the SDSM& T campus. Funded by a National Space and Aeronautics Administration ( NASA) grant from the National Space Grant and Fellowship Program Office, the South Dakota Weather Station Network is sponsored by the South Dakota Space Grant Consortium, in which SDSM& T is the lead institution. The weather station pilot project is a collaborative effort between the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology ( SDSM& T) and Black Hills State University ( BHSU).
Ludens was one of five west river teachers selected to receive the weather station training. The other teachers involved in the project include Matt DeBow, Harding County School District, Buffalo; Ken Graupmann, Kadoka School District, Kadoka; Ross Lamphere, Sturgis Middle School, Sturgis; and Brandi Thompson, Tiospaye Topa School, Ridgeview.
The teachers were trained to use weather stations that collect temperature, humidity, pressure, wind and rain data. Ron Johnson, SDSM& T Research Associate Professor of Meteorology, Institute of Atmospheric Sciences, presented the teachers with information on national weather data collection and regional forecasting.
Upon completion of the training session, the middle school teachers science were each provided with a weather station system and associated software that records and processes the meteorological data. Each teacher will decide how to incorporate the weather stations into their curriculum. SDSM& T will be the central receiving point for the weather data. The schools will collect the data and then e- mail the reports to the Consortium’s headquarters at SDSM& T on a weekly basis. These data will eventually be put on a web site for access by a wide range of researchers, teachers, students and the general public.
“ NASA’s support of this project is fostering many exciting opportunities to develop students’ interest in math, science and technology at an early age,” stated Dr. Sherry Farwell, SDSM& T Dean of Graduate Education & Research, who also serves as Director of the South Dakota Space Grant Consortium. “ The South Dakota Weather Station Network provides an excellent example of collaboration between higher education and K- 12 schools in South Dakota.”
The goals of the South Dakota Weather Station Network include student involvement in the collection of real observational data; student teamwork in the computer- based analysis of their data; student awareness of weather phenomena; enhanced collaboration between
-- more--
-- 2--
SDSM& T and BHSU; cooperation between diverse cultural groups; establishment of an e- mail and Internet communications network among area schools; and potential expansion to specific eastern South Dakota schools in the fall of 1999.
Co- directors of the South Dakota Weather Station Network pilot project are Dr. Douglas MacTaggart, SDSM& T Research Scientist, and Dr. Larry Hines, BHSU Math/ Science Educator and interim co- director of BHSU Center of Excellence for Mathematics and Science Education. For additional information, contact Dr. Douglas MacTaggart, SDSM& T, at 394- 6175, or Dr. Larry Hines, BHSU, at 642- 6887.
++ 30++
( I:\ univrel/ pressrele/ 0898/ Space Grant Weather Service Porcupine )
Photo caption: Gayle Ludens of Rockyford Elementary School, Porcupine, was one of five west river middle school teachers to receive weather station training at the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology. Pictured standing ( l. to r.) are: Matt Debow, Buffalo; Ken Graupmann, Kadoka; Gayle Ludens, Rockyford Elementary, Porcupine; Dr. Sherry Farwell, SDSM& T Dean of Graduate Education & Research and Director of the South Dakota Space Grant Consortium; Dr. Douglas MacTaggart, SDSM& T Research Scientist; Ross Lamphere, Sturgis; Dr. Larry Hines, BHSU Math/ Science Educator, Interim Co- director of BHSU Center of Excellence for Mathematics and Science Education; and Ron Johnson, Research Associate Professor of Meteorology, SDSM& T Institute of Atmospheric Sciences. Seated are Ashley Lamphere, daughter of Ross Lamphere, Sturgis; and Brandi Thompson, Tiospaye Topa School, Ridgeview.

Click tabs to swap between content that is broken into logical sections.

Office of University Relations
SDSM& T News
501 E. St. Joseph Street • Rapid City, SD 57701- 3995
Phone: ( 605) 394- 6082/ 2554 • Fax: ( 605) 394- 6177
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
( August 24, 1998)
PORCUPINE TEACHER RECEIVES WEATHER STATION TRAINING FROM SOUTH DAKOTA SPACE GRANT CONSORTIUM AT SDSM& T
Gayle Ludens a teacher at Rockyford Elementary School in Porcupine, recently received weather station training from the South Dakota Space Grant Consortium on the SDSM& T campus. Funded by a National Space and Aeronautics Administration ( NASA) grant from the National Space Grant and Fellowship Program Office, the South Dakota Weather Station Network is sponsored by the South Dakota Space Grant Consortium, in which SDSM& T is the lead institution. The weather station pilot project is a collaborative effort between the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology ( SDSM& T) and Black Hills State University ( BHSU).
Ludens was one of five west river teachers selected to receive the weather station training. The other teachers involved in the project include Matt DeBow, Harding County School District, Buffalo; Ken Graupmann, Kadoka School District, Kadoka; Ross Lamphere, Sturgis Middle School, Sturgis; and Brandi Thompson, Tiospaye Topa School, Ridgeview.
The teachers were trained to use weather stations that collect temperature, humidity, pressure, wind and rain data. Ron Johnson, SDSM& T Research Associate Professor of Meteorology, Institute of Atmospheric Sciences, presented the teachers with information on national weather data collection and regional forecasting.
Upon completion of the training session, the middle school teachers science were each provided with a weather station system and associated software that records and processes the meteorological data. Each teacher will decide how to incorporate the weather stations into their curriculum. SDSM& T will be the central receiving point for the weather data. The schools will collect the data and then e- mail the reports to the Consortium’s headquarters at SDSM& T on a weekly basis. These data will eventually be put on a web site for access by a wide range of researchers, teachers, students and the general public.
“ NASA’s support of this project is fostering many exciting opportunities to develop students’ interest in math, science and technology at an early age,” stated Dr. Sherry Farwell, SDSM& T Dean of Graduate Education & Research, who also serves as Director of the South Dakota Space Grant Consortium. “ The South Dakota Weather Station Network provides an excellent example of collaboration between higher education and K- 12 schools in South Dakota.”
The goals of the South Dakota Weather Station Network include student involvement in the collection of real observational data; student teamwork in the computer- based analysis of their data; student awareness of weather phenomena; enhanced collaboration between
-- more--
-- 2--
SDSM& T and BHSU; cooperation between diverse cultural groups; establishment of an e- mail and Internet communications network among area schools; and potential expansion to specific eastern South Dakota schools in the fall of 1999.
Co- directors of the South Dakota Weather Station Network pilot project are Dr. Douglas MacTaggart, SDSM& T Research Scientist, and Dr. Larry Hines, BHSU Math/ Science Educator and interim co- director of BHSU Center of Excellence for Mathematics and Science Education. For additional information, contact Dr. Douglas MacTaggart, SDSM& T, at 394- 6175, or Dr. Larry Hines, BHSU, at 642- 6887.
++ 30++
( I:\ univrel/ pressrele/ 0898/ Space Grant Weather Service Porcupine )
Photo caption: Gayle Ludens of Rockyford Elementary School, Porcupine, was one of five west river middle school teachers to receive weather station training at the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology. Pictured standing ( l. to r.) are: Matt Debow, Buffalo; Ken Graupmann, Kadoka; Gayle Ludens, Rockyford Elementary, Porcupine; Dr. Sherry Farwell, SDSM& T Dean of Graduate Education & Research and Director of the South Dakota Space Grant Consortium; Dr. Douglas MacTaggart, SDSM& T Research Scientist; Ross Lamphere, Sturgis; Dr. Larry Hines, BHSU Math/ Science Educator, Interim Co- director of BHSU Center of Excellence for Mathematics and Science Education; and Ron Johnson, Research Associate Professor of Meteorology, SDSM& T Institute of Atmospheric Sciences. Seated are Ashley Lamphere, daughter of Ross Lamphere, Sturgis; and Brandi Thompson, Tiospaye Topa School, Ridgeview.

The work from which this copy was made did not include a formal copyright notice. This work may be protected by U. S. copyright law (Title 17, United States Code), which governs reproduction, distribution, public display, and other uses of protected works. Uses may be allowed with permission from the copyright holder, if the copyright on the work has expired, or if the use is fair use or within another legal exemption. The user of this work is responsible for compliance with the law.